Oneika the Traveller

Berlin Eats: Kebabs at Balli Doner

2012-01-31T23:05:00.000Z

I've already said that you can't come to Berlin without eating a currywurst. I'd like to add that you can't leave Berlin without eating a kebab.

There are distinct advantages to being involved with a Berlin native, one of them being that they know all the best joints to get food in town. After taking me to the renowned Curry 36 one cold evening in Berlin, Liebling brought me to Balli, his favourite doner kebab place in the city.

The line-up for kebabs were long...

But I saw why as soon as Liebling collected my order from the counter and laid it down our table. Isn't she a beauty?

I'm not a huge kebab fan, but the fresh ingredients and fine taste made me a believer. Besides, at 4 euros for a kebab nearly as big as my head (see pic below for proof!) one really can't go wrong.

Good food makes my heart happy. What about you? If you find yourself in Berlin, do give Balli a try.

Have you ever eaten a kebab?

Balli Doner

Tempelhofer Damm 146

12099 Berlin

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Chinatown in London

2012-01-29T08:30:00.000Z

I've been missing Hong Kong desperately this week. A stroll through London's Chinatown last night only intensified this feeling.

My longing stems from the fact that Chinese New Year celebrations have been in full swing all last week in Hong Kong; I am sad to be missing out.

I walked from Leicester Square and through Chinatown, which occupies the area in and around Gerrard Street.

Loud music, a diversity of food aromas, smatterings of Cantonese, and almost-too-bright lights assault the senses. It is crowded, but I love it.

I'm grateful to have a bit of Hong Kong in London when I need it most. Kung hei fat choy and happy new year.

Do you have a Chinatown in your area? Have you ever celebrated Chinese New Year?

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Brussels Part 1

2012-01-27T12:37:00.001Z

I knew that going to Belgium was in my future when I found round trip Eurostar tickets to Brussels for £69 ($105 USD). However could I pass up such a prime opportunity?

While Eurostar's comprehensive website frequently has an abundance of travel deals, the best ones are often sold out within the proverbial blink of an eye. Not wanting to miss out, I booked a cheapie ticket for the high speed train faster than you can say Jack Robinson.

I spent two days and one night in Belgium's capital and largest city, only one day after returning from my 10 day trip to Germany. I made the trip solo as Liebling had already been to Brussels and was otherwise engaged- he had to work (boo, sad face!). But no matter! I've travelled solo in Latin America and Europe and have always had the best time. I couldn't wait to see what Brussels would have in store.

On the day of my departure, I arrived at Eurostar's train terminal at St. Pancras Station at the scarily early hour of 6 am. After going through a security check and answering a few questions about my journey by a customs officer, I was let into the general waiting area. I was shocked at how many people were there. Joining the long line that snaked outside of a coffee in the terminal, I bought myself a cup of Earl Grey and a plain croissant. I tucked myself into a seat and waited for my train to board.

Once on the train, it was pure bliss. I adore train travel. I got myself nice and comfortable in my seat and gingerly sipped tea as I read on my brand new Kindle (a Christmas gift from Liebling!), and admired the serene landscapes that sped past my window.

A little over two hours later, I disembarked at the Bruxelles-Midi train station, and promptly made my way to the city centre, after a bit of retail therapy in the train station *snort, giggle*. Not even an hour into my Brussels adventure, I had purchased two pairs of knee-length boots. Once a shopaholic...

After my splurge, the first order of business was to drop my stuff at my hotel and then begin my Brussels exploration. But all hopes of an efficient transfer to my hotel were dashed when I stumbled upon the Grand Place (which is actually a World Heritage site!), Brussels' most beautiful square. I hung around for about 20 minutes taking pictures of the intricate architecture.

I finally managed to drag myself away from the gorgeous square and head to my hotel, The Dominican, which was conveniently located a five-minute walk from the Grand Place. When The Domincan first invited me to stay on their lovely premises, I clapped my hands in glee after sneaking a quick look at the hotel photos on their Facebook page: they revealed spotless rooms that were elegantly decorated. Upon arrival at the hotel, I was excited to see that the real thing was even better than the photos. What follows is a quick tour of my lodging for the night:

The room was spacious and the bed inviting.

I had my own sitting area (which I didn't use because I was too busy luxuriating- is that even a word?-in bed).

And the stylish bathroom passed my very stringent criteria: it was clean, bright, and the fixtures were modern. LOVE.

I longed to spend more time in the comfy room (the early wakeup to catch the train was having its toll and big, plush bed was calling my name), but Brussels was begging to be discovered. First, however, I needed to refuel. And what better way to do that than to pick up a Belgian waffle? I hit up Vitalgaufre, a waffle franchise that has locations all over the city, and ordered. Two minutes later and two euros later, I had a piping hot gaufre au sucre in my eager little hands. Three minutes after that, the waffle was but a distant memory. I was that hungry. It was that good.

Appetite quelled for the moment, I decided to do a bit of touristing. My first stop was the Manneken Pis.

I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed. He was so small! In my Travel ABCs, I revealed that the most disappointing monument I've seen was the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, but I think the Manneken Pis is up there, too. I was mildly amused by his costume, until I realized he was dressed as a blind person- dark shades, seeing eye dog, white cane, and all. I'm probably as un- PC as they come, but I don't know how I feel about such a portrayal. Was it to raise awareness?

I got a much bigger kick out of the life-size chocolate replica of the Manneken outside the waffle store adjacent to the real thing. Tourists seem to enjoy this guy more as well; people lined up waiting to take a picture beside this choco statue.

I, however, didn't bother with all that. For I was too busy gaping at the waffle shop's offerings and debating whether or not to get yet another.

I gave a brief thought to my calorie count and decided not to spoil my dinner by eating another sugary treat. Instead, sighing, I pulled myself away and headed to the subway station. I was off to check out the next stop on my sightseeing tour, the Atomium!

Have you ever been underwhelmed by a statue, place, city, or monument on your travels? Where? Which one? Why?

A huge thanks to The Domincan Hotel for hosting me during my trip to Brussels!

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Paris: Eiffel Tower Shenanigans

2012-01-25T23:43:00.000Z

A trip to Paris just isn't complete without a few corny photos in front of its best known monument, the Eiffel Tower.

Don't you just love optical illusions, no matter how ill-conceived and poorly executed?

For the record, we did take a few nice photos in front of the iconic ~~phallic~~ symbol:

Do you like to take "silly" pictures in front of monuments when you travel? Or are me and Liebling the only ones with no shame?!?

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How I Afford to Travel

2012-01-23T22:40:00.000Z

In Guatemala last summer

I travel. A lot. The last few years I make anywhere from 7 to 10 international trips a year.

I get a lot of people asking me how I manage to do it; no, I'm not rich, and yes, I fund my own travel. So how do I do it? The answer is multi-faceted, but REALLY SIMPLE: I have made travel a lifestyle and create opportunties to see the world using my abilities and resources.

I've decided to do a post resuming just how I can afford to travel so much and compiled some information that can hopefully help you to do the same.

Timing and planning

Timing and planning are SO important for me. I try to book my train/plane tickets way in advance while seats still tend to be cheaper. I avoid travelling during peak periods when I can, but since I am a teacher with fixed time off (during peak periods) this is often difficult. Instead, I use the inflexibility of my schedule to my advantage: since I know exactly when I'll be on vacation, if I find cheap tickets, I just book them right away. No way I'm missing out on a deal!

When travelling in Europe and Asia I have used a variety of budget airlines and search engines to book my trips. I have listed a few below.

Asia: Air Asia, Dragon Air, Royal Brunei, Jet Star, Tiger Airways, Zuji

Europe: RyanAir, Easy Jet, Sky Europe, Edreams, Swoodoo

Some examples of deals I've gotten: I've flown between Dublin and Edinburgh for £16 including taxes on RyanAir. I've snagged train tickets from London to Brussels for £69 return. I only paid $600 USD for my ticket from Hong Kong to Seattle last summer.

Financial matters/ management

There's no secret or gimmick: I am good with my money. In order to have enough money to travel I operate on a few basic principles:

a) I don't buy anything I can't afford to pay for IN CASH.

b) I rarely use my credit card; when I do, I pay the balance in full.

c) I pay all my bills first! After paying my fixed expenses (rent, phone bill etc) I put a set amount of money into a saving account and DON'T TOUCH IT.

d) After putting money into my savings account after every paycheck, I take out a set amount of cash that I'll use as spending money between paychecks. I try to use only this cash for my entertainment, transportation, food, and miscellaneous items. I like using cash for everything because it's easy to monitor how much I'm spending. Doing things this way also mean that I don't use my credit/debit cards very often.

e) I budget budget budget, and budget realistically! The last 7 months I haven't been working so it was crucial that I was smart with my money. I did a rough plan of how much I wanted to spend per month (about $1200 USD) and tried not to stray from that.

Lifestyle

I don't drink or smoke so I save a lot of money because of that. I cut down on transportation costs because I've lived in cities where I don't need a car. I walk places when I can, which means that I save on bus and cab fare- my two feet are free! Apart from my camera, laptop, and iPod, I don't own any fancy electronics. When I lived in Hong Kong and owned a TV, I only had basic cable. I am the queen of the pay as you go phone, and use Skype to call friends and family abroad: I can call a land line in Canada or the States for as little as $0.02 a minute. I spend a lot of money on clothes and am a bit of a clotheshorse, but tend to shop at affordable places like H&M. I don't mind spending, say, $400 on a leather jacket, because it is a classic, good quality piece that will last me for a long time. The same goes for shoes. I spend more on footwear, but they are comfortable, timeless, and last long. I eat out quite a bit, but cut corners here and there by skipping appetizers and dessert and ordering tap water.

Career path and work abroad opportunities

People, in particular my newest readers, often think that I travel all the time, but I have a day job that gives me a lot of time off to travel. I'm a high school teacher who has taught English literature and French in international schools around the world. I chose this career path in part because I always knew I wanted to live abroad and have enough time to travel during my holidays, which are numerous. So far, I've taught in France, Mexico, and Hong Kong, and always extensively travel the regions that I temporarily call home. I now teach at a high school here in London, and have been taking advantage of my prime location in Europe to explore the rest of the continent.

To teach in an international school, you need a specialized degree/certificate that allows you to teach in public elementary and/or secondary schools in your home country. In Canada, this teaching degree is called a Bachelor of Education, which is typically an 8-month to 2 year program typically done after completing a 4-year university degree. In the UK, this degree is known as the PGCE, and in Hong Kong it is known as the PGDE. These programs can certify to teach basically any subject that is taught in schools, like Math, or Science, or Art. One can get a generalist certification to teach primary grades or kindergarten. I've always loved languages so I am certified to teach Grade 7 to 12 English lit and French.

Graduates of these programs can then apply to work in international schools. Recruiting agencies like Search Associates, Council of International Schools, and International Schools Services help qualified elementary/secondary teachers find jobs.

Teaching English as a Second (or Foreign) Language is also a great option to go abroad. There are lots and lots of jobs in Asia, in particular, and lots of programs to get a TEFL or TESL designation certifying you to teach. Dave's ESL Cafe is a good start for info and job postings for ESL/EFL teaching.

If you are a university student, you can also teach English in France; I did this back in 2006. Click this link for more information.

*I did a video a few months back explaining the difference between teaching English as a foreign language and teaching any K-12 subject in an international school... check it out!

Not into teaching? Why not see if your country allows you to apply for a working holiday visa so you can work in another field? Canadians under 35, for instance, can get a visa to work in France for up to a year. I have a working holiday visa for the UK, which allows me to work here for up to two years. For Americans, who get the short end of the stick when it comes to work visas for foreign countries, there are a number of programs run by BUNAC and AIESEC that help American nationals find work in different career fields abroad.

While I've chosen to focus on paid work opportunities, a number of volunteer and study abroad opportunities exist. A simple Google search will reveal them in their entirety.

Soooo, in conclusion...

With a few adjustments and considerations it's possible to travel frequently. The secret to living out your travel dreams lies in two words: research and discipline.

Do you have any questions that I didn't answer here? Any info that I missed? Sound off in the comments!

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In Paris for the weekend!

2012-01-21T19:24:00.004Z

In all the excitement over my hair, I forgot to mention that Liebling and I are in Paris for the weekend.

It is a very quick trip: only 2 days and 1 night in France's capital. We arrived early this morning on the Eurostar train from London. Amazingly, the ride between the two cities on this fast train is only a little over two hours. Another huge benefit of living in Europe, where everything is so close together!

It's Liebling first trip to Paris and my 9th or 10th. So I've been running around trying to show him all of Paris highlights. This has been a slew of successes and failures, as I am terrible with maps and my recollection of where things are is shady at best. Still we are having a great time and I have a bunch of photos and updates to share. Stay tuned!

Have you ever been to Paris? What was your favourite thing to do or see?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

A new look for 2012

2012-01-21T00:04:00.000Z

Some days you just wake up and decide that you're going to chop all your hair off.

Since I've already done 2012 updates on my travel plans and my work situation, I figured that it would only be fair to give you a bit of a hair update, too.

After lamenting how much of a pain it is to grow your hair out (which is what I was impatiently doing), I decided that I wanted to start 2012 anew. Pourquoi pas? I've been thinking about going really short for a while now, and quite frankly was a bit tired of my dredlocks.

It was a meetup on Wednesday with the lovely Milla (who blogs about her London and formerly Paris exploits at Not Just Another Milla) that sealed the deal. As our lively conversation drifted toward hair and I briefed her on my flirtation with going short and sassy, she referred me to her trusted stylists at a salon in London.

On Thursday I made an appointment for the following day, Friday, and enjoyed my last hours with swinging, collarbone-grazing hair.

And then I got impatient. And scissor happy. Not wanting to wait until the next day to do the big chop, I decided to cut the bulk of my hair off myself. What fun!

Today I made my way to Hype Coiffure and had a professional shape and refine my cut. What do you think?

It is super duper short but I think I love it. I love having hair that air dries in less than five minutes. My hair is also very soft- such a switch from the dredlocks! While my head feels bizarrely light and I catch myself flicking hair back that isn't there, I don't miss my dredlocks or length AT ALL. This may be because I'm no stranger to extremely short hair - I had this exact same haircut back in 2001.

Me and Liebling's hair- almost the same length!

What does Liebling think, you ask? As he's a fan of long hair, this is not his fave hairstyle. But as he is lovely, supportive, and knows that I haven't changed just because my hairstyle has, things are peachy keen on the home front. He's reassured me a zillion times that I am still beautiful. That being said, while it is important to me that he likes the way I look, I know that I am happy within myself and 100% confident about my decision to cut my hair. Funnily enough, while he is a lover of long locks, he's been randomly palming my head- he's fascinated with the spongy feel of my loose hair since he's only known me with dredlocks!

So there you have it. My hair update!

Have you ever done something drastic with your hair? What, why, and what was the reaction of your friends and loved ones?

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Back to Work!

2012-01-18T21:34:00.002Z

Living it up in Brussels two weeks ago- oh, the joys of unemployment!

After 7 months of travel and voluntary unemployment, yours truly has rejoined the workforce on a full time basis. That ish cray.

Last Thursday I started working full time again. I've alluded to snagging a job in this post, but never elaborated on how I'd be filling 8 hours of my life every day. So here's my job sitch: I'm now teaching full time at a high school in London, covering for a lady who will shortly have a baby and go on maternity leave.

Over the last two months, I have been doing substitute teaching most days at the same school, filling in for ill or absent teachers. This substitute teaching opportunity was great in that I slowly got to know the students and school procedures before taking over for the pregnant teacher in question.

But as her due date is fast approaching, the powers that be thought it prudent that her and I start the handover of classes and materials. So, since last week, I've been going in every day and assisting.

The verdict: I love it. But damn, working every day has been EXHAUSTING.

My brain aches from concentrating. My back is sore from all the sitting upright and my thighs scream from ascending and descending staircases between classes. My voice is thin from overuse- admonishing students to sit down and open their books over and over strains the vocal cords.

Getting up early after 7 months of lolling in bed as I pleased has been severe. Because I am extremely paranoid and always fear I will sleep through my alarm, my slumber is often fitful, and I wake up frequently and often an hour or two before I am meant to actually get up.

Welcome to the real world! Re-entering the world of work is going to take some getting used to.

Have you ever returned to work or study after a long hiatus? How did you cope?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

New Year's Eve in Berlin... And around the world!

2012-01-17T01:06:00.000Z

New Year's in Berlin ROCKED. And here's the proof.

We ate, we laughed, we nearly blew our faces off when we set off store-bought fireworks. Twas a fabulous time, and gave me insight into how Germans fete the passing of one year into another. You may remember that I also spent New Year's in Germany in 2009, but I was way too sick to do little more than clutch my stomach in pain in the room adjacent to where the festivities were taking place. Needless to say, I was grateful to be in good enough health this year (erm, last year? You know what I mean!) to participate in all the fun.

One thing I noted: New Year's fireworks in Germany (heck in most places in the world other than the U.S. and Canada) seem to be commonplace. Back in Canada, we only have fireworks on Victoria Day (in May) and Canada Day (July 1st). In the U.S., I'm lead to believe that such resplendent fireworks display happen on July 4th. Why is that?

Anyway, I do hope that you enjoyed my little video... and will promptly watch the two videos that follow! Below I've included NYE video from friends and fellow travel bloggers/ expats/ fabulous fearless adventurers Nicole is the New Black and Fly Brother. Check out Nicole as she enchants us with her family-friendly New Year's Eve in Copenhagen, Denmark. Fly Brother tantalizes us with his NYE celebration in sizzling hot Rio de Janeiro (and I'm not just talking about the climate). Both these videos continue to shed light on the expat experience and how New Year's goes down in these countries. Please feel free to share, comment, and subscribe!

What are some of the New Year's traditions you have in your country (or family/home)? How are they different from the ones presented here?

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Berlin sightseeing by night: Photo Essay

2012-01-13T00:42:00.000Z

Somehow, at least to me, cities seem more interesting at night.

Maybe I am intrigued by the lights, but walking around Berlin in the evening makes the city even more romantic and exciting than in the day. Follow me as I take a stroll around the city centre.

Liebling and I went to the movies one evening (to see the lacklustre Mission Impossible 4 (3?)) at the Sony Centre in Berlin. The movie there is one of the few in the city that plays English films. We parked the car by the Sony Centre and decided to walk around since we had time before the movie.

We found ourselves in front of Brandenburg Gate, one of the best-known landmarks of Germany. And happened upon a group of Jewish people dancing and singing in pure jubilation. For what reason, I was unsure, but I was fascinated.

Our next stop was the Hotel Adlon, which is another well-known landmark in Berlin: it's the infamous hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby Blanket over the balcony.

You may remember my post on the Berlin-bred treat currywurst. I could resist snapping this photo as we passed a currywust stand.

Christmas lights were up everywhere in Berlin. I noted that they were almost always "white" lights- back in Canada the Christmas decorations on the streets are almost always multi-coloured. Cultural difference?

We walked by this monument dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. It is comprised of over 2000 slabs of rectangular stone.

We then directed ourselves toward Potsdamer Platz, an important square that is a former gateway and trading post.

Potsdamer Platz is also home to an exhibit displaying remaining fragments of the Berlin Wall.

It was time for our movie to start, so we quickly entered the Sony Centre complex and stumbled upon a mini Christmas market, complete with a gluhwein stand, the quintessential Christmas brew!

Do you prefer exploring cities at night or during the day?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Berlin: Cake in KaDeWe department store

2012-01-10T18:59:00.001Z

The 10 days I spent in Germany over the holidays is making me realize I have a sweet tooth. Cake (called kuchen in German) is my weakness.

This is strange for me. I am a salt and grease kind of girl. I rejoice in french fries dripping with oil and animal fat. I like carb-laden crispy seasoned treats like potato chips and pretzels. Cakes and cookies have never really been my thing.

But increasingly, I find myself craving sweets (see my latest post on Brussels). In the last two weeks, food-gasm after food-gasm has rocked my body upon the introduction of surgery goodies to my quivering tongue. "Saccharine City" is my new home.

My escapade at the Leysieffer Cafe in Berlin's KaDeWe department store is partly to blame. One afternoon after Christmas, I had the pleasure of going there, flanked by Liebling and his father, and indulging my sweet tooth.

Located on the highest floor of KaDeWe, the open-concept cafe was jumping with activity when we arrived and we feared that we wouldn't find a seat. Luckily, patrons were just leaving and we were able to snag a corner booth.

The waitress proffered us menus and we got down to the difficult task of deciding what to order. While the menu had an abundance of lunchtime snack items like sandwiches and salads, we were dead set on eating cake. Not that narrowing our scope made picking any easier- there were too many to choose from!

The range of cakes on offer was impressive. And daunting. There were at least 10 flavours.

Even more intimidating was the fact that the names of the cakes were sometimes indecipherable- Liebling had to translate all the ingredients so I could ensure that I made the right choice.

After a few desperate minutes of hemming and hawing, I settled on the Pflaume Nuss: the plum nut cake. We designated our selections to the lady behind the counter and regained our seats, where the tea we ordered just minutes before was already waiting.

Decor and ambience is obviously a big part of Leysieffer's appeal.

The tableware and presentation made my plain ole' Earl Grey tea look like a million bucks. And the little square of dark chocolate accompanying the whole affair kept me satisfied until my cake made its appearance.

Shortly thereafter, the main event: our cakes made their grand entrance.

My plum nut creation with a dollop of whipped cream:

Liebling's dad's berry sensation:

And Liebling's cherry crumble adorned with icing sugar.

They were even better than they looked. I admit, I am cuckoo for kuchen.

What about you? Are you a fan of cake and/or other sweet things? Which cake out of the ones pictured do you think you'd like the best?

The Leysieffer Cafe

KaDeWe

Tauentzienstraße
21-24

10789 Berlin

+49 30 2121 0

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Brussels sneak peek

2012-01-06T12:06:00.000Z

In case you're not up to speed with my Facebook Fan Page or Twitter feeds, I spent the last two days in Brussels, Belgium.

It was a whirlwind trip. I rode the Eurostar train from London to Brussels, after having just returned from a 10-day trip to Berlin the day before. Crazy? Maybe just a little.

I spent most of my time in Brussels there gasping/ gawking at the beautiful architecture...

And having food-gasms.

More updates (and pictures) to come! Have you ever been to Brussels? Would you like to go?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Malta: Part 2

2012-01-05T07:58:00.000Z

Sometimes, it's best to let the pictures do the talking.

After a walk from our hotel in St. Julian's to Sliema, we sat down in our sightseeing bus and waited for the tour to begin. What followed was photo-taking madness, induced by the agreeable climate and sun-kissed architecture. We sat on the open top floor of the double-decker bus, steadying ourselves to take photos as it snaked along the Maltese countryside.

Before I forget to mention it, we took the Malta Sightseeing tour, persuaded to buy tickets by a lovely young tour guide we met earlier that morning. At 15 Euros for a day-long pass to a hop on- hop off sightseeing bus, as well as a ticket to a 90-minute boat tour, we couldn't resist. We were also able to bargain down the cost of the ticket, so we only paid 13 Euros each! Score!

With our tour sorted, there was nothing left to do but sit back and discover. Come along with me for the ride!

From our departure point, the bus crept along the Sliema's pier and past numerous ports rammed with yachts.

We then chugged along, gradually up, up, and up until we reached Valletta, the current capital of the island.

From there, we passed Malta's old aqueduct and watched the setting become more rural as we made our way to Mdina, the former capital.

In Mdina we walked around, getting lost in the small, winding streets, browsing in the specialty boutiques that lined our path, and then viewing our surroundings from atop the fort that encloses the city. We were basically alone: Mdina was a virtual ghost town (due to it being low season for tourists in Malta).

Before leaving Mdina, I also made a new friend. :)

After Mdina, we hopped back on the bus for what would be the second phase of our sightseeing tour. I was exhausted, but anxiously awaiting part two!

I like the idea of taking a tour when you only have a limited time to explore a place. Tours are almost like the "Cliff Notes" version of city- you get to see the most important places in a short amount of time.

Are you a fan of tours like me, or do you prefer to wander on your own?

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Berlin Eats: Currywurst

2012-01-03T09:31:00.000Z

I've been told that you can't come to Berlin without eating a currywurst.

But I have been to Berlin 5 times and never had one grace my tastebuds. Pure blasphemy in the eyes of a Berliner.

Seeking to rectify this massive oversight, Liebling took me to have my first one a few nights ago, at Curry 36, one of the best currywurst places in town.

For you currywurst virgins out there, a currywurst is basically a sausage assailed with curry powder, then doused in a sauce resembling ketchup. The sticky, gooey mess is often accompanied by fries.

To be honest, the currywurst is not visually appealing. I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm not really a fan of meat, apart from chicken. Still, when in Berlin, one must do as the Berliners do, and I am all about new experiences, even if it's just so I can write about it on my blog. *wink*.

Besides, at less than 5 Euros ($7 USD) for two wurst and an order of fries, I wouldn't feel guilty if I didn't eat any more after the first bite.

Not that that was a problem! I inhaled my share and actually chastised Liebling for not ordering more. My palate is not particularly fine nor discriminating, food critic I am not, but the tender morsels of wurst mingled with the curry and sauce to create the most pleasant flavour. I can now see why the 'combo' comes with two wurst- the first one will leave you wanting for more!

Have you ever had currywurst? Are you a fan of sausage?

Curry36

Mehringdamm 36

10961 Berlin

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Tacheles Art House

2012-01-01T18:00:00.000Z

The Tacheles Art House in Berlin is not your typical art gallery.

The building, formerly a Nazi prison and now home to an art collective, has been on my radar for a while. Finding myself with a bit of free time a few days ago, I decided to stop by.

The most distinguishing features of this gallery are the wall to wall murals of graffiti. I revelled in the colours and interesting images to be found in every crevice. There was a discovery to be had at every turn.

The Tacheles Art House is located in the Jewish area of town, and the word "tacheles", according to many accounts, is Yiddish for "straight talking".

The building and surrounding grounds serve as an artists' collective, housing art expositions, workshops, and concerts. The five or so floors of the building are mostly empty apart from the graffiti on the walls, but the top two floors had artists creating art for patrons to see and purchase.

Is it worth a visit? Definitely. It's free to enter and it offers an alternative to your typical gallery experience. I was also happy to see such a place dedicated to graffiti art, which I often feel is looked down on by art purists. Do be sure to check out Tacheles on your next trip to Berlin!

Kunsthaus Tacheles

Oranienburger Straße 54, 56a

10117 Berlin
004930-2826185
office@tacheles.de

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My 2011 Travel Review

2011-12-31T10:13:00.000Z

As 2011 comes to a close, a number of travel bloggers have been doing so-called "year-end reviews" of their travels, and I thought that I'd do the same. 2011, like 2010, was a year of changes, surprises, and an abundance of travels. Care to come with me as I recap what I did and where?

JANUARY: Germany, Hong Kong, ~~Malaysia,~~ Hospital

The first day of 2011 saw me very sick and in bed in Berlin, where I spent the holidays with Liebling and his family. I had been suffering from debilitating nausea and stomach pain for weeks, and despite rounds of medications was not feeling better. I boarded the plane back to Hong Kong in tears, dreading the 15 hours of travel and scared that I would feel even more sick on the plane. I somehow made it back to Hong Kong in one piece, but despite going to the doctor there and getting medicated, I only succeeded in feeling worse, and had to be admitted to the hospital for a week. It was a distressing time- I lost a bunch of weight and really didn't think I would get better. I had to cancel a trip that I had scheduled to Malaysia and lost most of the money I had spent on the tickets. I was on bed rest for the better part of 5 weeks and missed 3 weeks of work.

FEBRUARY: Hong Kong, Macau, China

I was still recovering from my mystery illness in February, so kept things relatively uncluttered on the travel front. I hung out in Hong Kong with *ahem* ~~Chippendale dancers~~ new friends, took the ferry to Macau to watch a performance from the Cirque du Soleil, and went away with Liebling for a romantic weekend trip to Shenzhen, China, where we barely left the hotel since it was so cushy and opulent.

MARCH: Hong Kong

In March, I FINALLY started to feel like myself again, but found myself too busy with work and too short on time to travel anywhere at all. However, I took the opportunity to discover more places in my adopted hometown of Hong Kong, taking hikes around the island and engaging in some of the ~~debauchery~~ events Hong Kong offers year round.

APRIL: Hong Kong, Indonesia

Liebling and I met up in Bali, Indonesia where we gorged ourselves on food, history, and wondrous views for 12 days. We took silly pictures on the beach, explored tiny towns by scooter, and watched an American girl nearly get mauled by a yucky monkey. Oh, and I shook my groove thang on the beach and discovered that I'm not a fan of Ubud. Indonesia is bad ass.

MAY: Hong Kong, Singapore

I was barely back in Hong Kong for 3 days before we took off for Singapore for a three-day trip.

JUNE: Hong Kong, Malaysia, USA

June was a sad month. The school year was winding down and it was time for me to pack up and say goodbye to Hong Kong. But not before a quick trip to Malaysia, where I was underwhelmed by the Petronas Towers. I lugged my huge bags directly to Washington State in the USA, where I stayed for a month to finish up some courses for my Master's degree. I had a bit of trouble acclimating to my new digs, and my new neighbourhood, which were both vastly different from the life I was leading in Hong Kong. Still, I managed to keep things interesting by taking a quick trip to Seattle to visit some family.

JULY: USA, Canada

After more than a year away from home, I made my triumphant return to Toronto, Canada, where I reconnected with friends and family, ate a LOT of good food, and donned a teensy-weensy bejeweled bikini and massive feather headpiece so I could dance in the street in Toronto's Caribana parade. It is probably one of the coolest things I've done. Ever. I also ran my second 10k race!

AUGUST: Canada, USA, Guatemala, Honduras

At the beginning of August I went on a trip with my girlfriends to New York City. Through serendipity, I was given the opportunity to regularly have my travel writing featured on the Huffington Post. Then, near the end of the month, Liebling came to visit me in Canada, and I took him all around my beloved city and to Niagara Falls! After a week of fun, we jetted off to Guatemala for a month, going to Honduras for two days to check out some ancient ruins. In Guatemala I nearly didn't hike a volcano, but am so glad that I did.

SEPTEMBER: Guatemala, Chile

The summer of fun continued right on into the fall, but you wouldn't know that from the sizzling temps on the beach in Guatemala. Liebling left me to go back to work in the UK, and I stayed on in Guatemala and did a Spanish course. Then I went to Chile and realized that my Spanish course in Guatemala didn't prepare me for the ridiculously hard Chilean brand of Spanish. Lots of smiling and nodding done while in Chile.

OCTOBER: Chile, Canada, UK

October, like June, was a pivotal month. After exploring the deserts of Chile and meeting up with some of my favourite bloggers in Santiago, the capital, I made the long journey back to Canada, where I attended my cousin's wedding. Then, days later, I packed my bags and moved to London, UK to be with Liebling (finally!) in one place.

NOVEMBER: UK, Germany

I spent most of November discovering London, meeting up with travel bloggers, and looking for a job. I figured out that my North American accent is pretty exotic in the UK. I also went to Berlin for the weekend and witnessed a tree-cutting contest. You know, as you do.

DECEMBER: UK, Malta, Germany

December was an exciting month, particularly professionally: I got a new job! I also got to visit a new country, Malta, which always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. My trip to Malta was breathtaking and inspiring, and made all the sweeter because HostelBookers hooked me up with an amazing hotel! I spent Christmas in Berlin with Liebling and his family, and have been using this opportunity to learn more about German traditions and ~~fattening~~ delectable German food.

THE RESULT

Hospital stay aside, 2011 was THE BOMB. This year I visited 13 countries, 7 of them new. I swapped countries, changed jobs, and moved in with my best friend . I reached out and have met more of my readers, as well people in the travel industry, and formed a few interesting partnerships that I hope to elaborate on in the new year. 2011 ROCKED.

2012 Travels?

I have literally been a booking machine, researching trips and experiences left and right. So far, my travel plans up to June of next year are confirmed. In the first half of 2012 I'll be travelling to Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Dubai(!), Peru(!!), Nice & Monaco, Cornwall UK, and Norway. I leave for Brussels next Wednesday and am already salivating at the prospect of chocolate and waffles. 2012 is gonna be big!

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Lovely Berlin Weather

2011-12-29T12:52:00.002Z

This was Berlin yesterday.

Sunny, fresh air, and a surprisingly warm 10 degrees celcius.
I was feeling pretty impressed by the weather, I mean, it's late December! Last time this year there was heavy snow.

Anyway, I felt great until I saw what a friend in Hong Kong posted on Facebook:

21 degrees in Hong Kong.

I guess I'll shut up now.

How warm is it where you are?

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German Christmas Foods: Photo Essay

2011-12-28T11:53:00.000Z

In front of the tannenbaum on Christmas Eve

Yummy German Christmas food

One of the most enjoyable things about spending Christmas in Germany has been learning about the food.

My family is from Jamaica and I grew up in Canada, so spending the holidays in Germany and learning the cultures and traditions surrounding German Christmas has been an eye-opening experience.

One of the main differences I have noted between German and Jamaican/ Canadian Christmas is that gift-giving seems to take place on the 24th here. Due to scheduling conflicts, this year Liebling this year we exchanged gifts on the 24th, 25th, and 26th, but that's not typical, usually it's done on the 24th. Back home in Canada, nearly everyone I know does it on the 25th.

My lovely Christmas gifts- one of them was a Kindle! Thanks, Liebling!

The food was not only exquisitely tasty, but also very new to me. The festive season here is celebrated by eating typically German foods. I thought I would share some of the lovely things I have been eating over the last few days.

Liebling told me that many German families eat GANS (goose) during Christmas. This bird was in the oven for almost 12 hours, and was as delicious as it looks. Filled with stuffing, this is often the centrepiece of the meal.

This red mixture is called ROTKOHL, which translates into red cabbage. It is fairly sweet.

I love carbs, so I was very happy when these dumplings, called KLÖSE made an appearance. They are chewy and salty.

Liebling's family drinks champagne during the holiday season. I don't drink alcohol, so opt for apple juice mixed with sparkling water, called APFELSCHORLE.

This gravy garnished the dumpling and meet dishes. It is simply called SOßE in German, translated as sauce.

I stuffed myself with chocolate and the special star-shaped cookie you see on the left side of this picture. The cookie is traditionally German and called PLÄTZCHEN.

I also loved the cookie in this picture. It is made of cinnamon and called ZIMTSTERN in German.

This chocolate cake resembles the moelleux au chocolat cake native to France. This cake is a Belgian product sold all over Europe called GÜ.

This pasta-like food is called SPÄTZLE.

This is deer meat. It has a bit of a gamey taste, and is called REH in German.

And there you have it: my food exploration thus far in Germany! What special things do you eat for Christmas where you live or where you're from?

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The ABCs of Travel from Oneika the Traveller

2011-12-27T12:59:00.002Z

The ABCs of Travel from Oneika the Traveller!

The ABC's of travel gives bloggers the opportunity to share their favorite and most memorable travel moments from A-Z! Thanks to Nicole from Nicole is the New Black for tagging me! I'll be tagging 3 other bloggers at the end of this post so they can share their ABCs as well!

A: Age you went on your firstinternational trip: 11 months old! I travelled from my hometown of Toronto, Canada to the island paradise of Jamaica, my parents' homeland. I remember nothing from that trip but the photos are hilarious!

B: Best (foreign) beer you’vehad and where: Can you believe that I don't drink beer at all? Apart from a few brief run-ins with vodka in my early twenties I don't drink alcohol at all. Oops! Can I pass on this one?

C: Cuisine (favorite): I lurve Italian food, but I'm a carb fiend and love copious helpings of cheese so this probably comes as no surprise. Last summer I went to Italy and proceeded to eat my weight in pizza dough nearly every day. Italian food = pure bliss!

Pizza in Italy last summer

D: Destinations, favorite,least favorite and why: Eek! I have the hardest time with these sorts of questions! I'm terrible at giving absolutes, but one of my favourite countries in the world is France. It may be because I lived there for two years, but France will always have a special place in my heart and my experiences on the French Riviera (I lived in Nice for a year) shaped me as a person! My least favourite place probably has to be Dublin, Ireland. Not that I hated it or anything, but I came away from my brief stay there feeling relatively uninispired. Meh.

On the beach in Nice, France

E: Event you experienced abroadthat made you say “wow”: Visiting the Atacama Desert when I went to nothern Chile last October. The landscapes are absolutely stunning- I've seen nothing like it!

Chile's Atacama Desert

F: Favorite mode oftransportation: I suffer from horrible motion sickness, but love riding trains. There's something tranquil about train travel, the chug-a-chug of the engine, the scenery speeding by the window...

G: Greatest feeling whiletraveling: Seeing something in person that I've only read about in books or seen on TV or film! There's this sense of wonderment and accomplishment that is such a rush.

H: Hottest place you’vetraveled to: Ugh, I've been to loads of hot places, but I've never experienced heat like I have in Hong Kong: it is oppressive, exhausting, and discouraging! August in Hong Kong is indescribable. You can stand outside and not move, and within 30 seconds feel all your crevices bead with perspiration. Yup!

I: Incredible service you’veexperienced and where: I've had great service at the Hotel Sultania in Istanbul, Turkey. The staff is probably the most attentive I've experienced!

J: Journey that took thelongest: The longest non-stop flight I've ever taken is Toronto to Hong Kong- 14.5 hours. The longest journey I've done which included stopovers was when I was returning to Hong Kong from Croatia: I flew from Split, Croatia to Rome, then from Rome to Moscow, and THEN from Moscow to Hong Kong. I had a 8 hour layover in Rome and a two hour layover in Moscow. The journey in total took around 36 hours! Never again!

K: Keepsake from your travels:It's crazy but I almost never buy any souvenirs or trinkets from the places I go to. I got a really nice knit bag from Guatemala this summer, but come to think of it, I have no idea where it is now. D'oh!

L: Let-down sight, why andwhere: The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They are pretty, no doubt, but after I took a picture in front of them I was like, okay, what now?


The over-hyped Petronas

M: Momentwhere you fell in love with travel: When I stepped off the plane at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport to begin a year-long study abroad in 2004. It was my first time leaving North America and I was so excited! That year was the beginning of an endless love affair with travel.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayedin: I've stayed in a number of nice places, but the most opulent, over the top place I've stayed in is probably the Imperial Hotel in Vung Tau, Vietnam. We had a massive room that was ornately decorated in the most stately way. The bed was huge and we had a large sitting area and bathroom. The grounds of the hotel were simply ridiculous and everything was super clean. Liebling STILL raves about the breakfast at the hotel- they had everything.

The lovely hotel pool in Vietnam

O: Obsession—what are youobsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?: I love taking photos of myself doing silly poses in front of famous landmarks! I also always have to take out my camera to take pictures of food.

P: Passport stamps, how manyand from where? I have a lot! I've been to nearly fifty countries on six different continents. I think I'm on my fourth or fifth passport by now.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’vevisited and where: The Mummy Museum in Guanajuato, Mexico. Kinda yucky but very cool!

R: Recommended sight, event orexperience: Ziplining in Guatemala! I did it last summer and I was PETRIFIED since I'm scared of heights but it's probably one of the cooler things I've done.

S: Splurge; something you haveno problem forking over money for while traveling: Food and lodging and very cute, one of a kind pieces of clothing that I know I can't get back home! I'm all about the overall experience and these things make me happy so I don't deny myself these pleasures.

T: Touristy thing you’vedone: I love doing touristy stuff like walking tours and sightseeing buses. I think it's such a great way to explore a new place and get your bearings!

U: Unforgettable travel memory: Getting dragged into a nude protest in Mexico City! These naked guys with the signs conveniently covering their naughty bits spotted me walking by the main plaza and pulled me into the fray. Crazy but fun!

V: Visas, how many and forwhere? Too many to count, especially since I lived in Asia for two years and needed a visa for practically every country in Southeast Asia I visited. My most expensive visa was for Chile- $132 USD! Ack! Apart from tourist visas, I had long-stay/work visas for France, Mexico, Hong Kong, and the UK.

W: Wine, best glass of winewhile traveling and where? See the beer question above! I keep it dry and sober so have nothing to contribute. :)

X: eXcellent view and fromwhere?: Hey! That's cheating, "excellent" starts with an "e", hee hee. One of the most striking views I've had was on a trip to Guanajuato, Mexico. This town is a UNESCO heritage sight and it's not hard to see why!

Beautiful colours in Guanajuato, Mexico

Y: Years spent traveling? All my life. But I've been an expat on and off since 2003, and probably will be one for life!

Z: Zealous sports fans andwhere?: I live in London, UK now and the people here are pretty darn hardcore!

Tag you're it! I'm tagging three fabulous ladies who live in very different places and who I would love to coordinate a bloggy meetup with.

The hilarious Deidre from Decoybetty who lives in Australia because her quirky posts make me laugh and her recipes make me feel inadequate in the kitchen (in a good way!).
The talented Kyle Hepp, who is based in Chile, because I love her photos and had the BEST time when I met up with her in Chile a few months ago.
The fashionista Andi from My Beautiful Adventures, hailing from North Carolina, because she looks so darn cute when she travels and always has the nicest things to say.

Can't wait to hear your responses ladies!

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Merry Xmas from Berlin!

2011-12-24T09:20:00.000Z

Time ran out before I even had the chance to post that I ll be spending the holidays in Deutschland with Liebling and his family!

I got to Berlin last night and am looking to forward to Christmas dinner tonight (most Germans celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December). Anyway, just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday!

With German Santa Claus and Liebling in Berlin's KaDeWe mall last year

I'm here in Berlin until January 2nd, so will be posting updates of my stay here. As they say in German, "Fröhe Weinachten"! Merry Christmas!

How will you be spending the holiday? Anything planned?

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Stepping out in London: Bagels in Brick Lane

2011-12-20T20:22:00.000Z

Any bagel fans out there? If so, boy, do I got a place for you.

I live in Brick Lane, at the edge of the imaginary line that divides Central and East London. Brick Lane is known for its extensive variety of restaurants offering South Asian cuisine and a trendy row of bars and shops where Londoners spend their time and money.

But Brick Lane also has bagels. Lots of yummy, freshly baked bagels.

I believe it was Liebling who first introduced me to the bagel shops dotted along the Brick Lane strip when I spent last summer in London. I haven't had one since my triumphant return two months ago, so we swung by Beigel Bake as we were walking home from eating dinner out in Shoreditch, another trendy area just north of Brick Lane.

I admit that the overall look of Beigel Bake is far from enticing: the grubby interior was tackily decorated and a jumbled mass of bagels assaulted the eye. Along with plain bagels, they also sell bagels with assorted fillings, the bagels pre-stuffed and stacked in the most unattractive of ways.

Still, despite my trepidation, the baked goods smelled heavenly. Liebling ordered a half-dozen for the paltry sum of 1.50 GBP (approx $2.20 USD), and on our walk back home, I devoured one to my utter surprise. After having eaten dinner not even 30 minutes before, I was far from hungry, but the bagel was so spongy and tasty that I couldn't help myself. The next morning, I found myself looking forward to having another bagel for breakfast. Even 12 hours later, it still tasted fresh.

The moral of the story: Don't judge a book by its cover! I know where I'll be going for my next bagel fix.

Brick Lane Beigel Bake

159 Brick Lane E1 6SB

Transport Liverpool Street tube/rail or bus 8

Telephone

020 7729 0616

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Malta: Part 1

2011-12-19T07:23:00.000Z

Source

It wasn't long ago that I couldn't even locate Malta on a map.

For the record, this tiny island nation is sandwiched between Europe and Africa. Malta is only about 80 kilometres south of Sicily, and 280 kilometres west of Tunisia.

Malta is one of those places that you've probably heard of, but know nothing about. I knew a little about it only because my hometown, Toronto, has a sizeable Maltese population. In high school, I had Maltese-Canadian friends who would abscond to their parents' homeland every summer. Still, my knowledge of Malta was hazy, at best. Still, I never imagined that I would go there myself.

And then I moved to London.

The depressingly grey skies as seen from my bedroom window

The heavy grey skies and damp, frigid air native to London at this time of year make me sad. Some days, I find it impossible to drum up the energy to even leave the house if it's not necessary. A little over a month ago, feeling particularly listless and uninspired, I pronounced to Liebling that I desperately needed some sun. The best excuse for travelling, no? Leaving no stone unturned (as usual), we scoured the internet for good flight deals to sun-drenched destinations within a 3-hour flight of London.

We couldn't help taking the Malta bait.

At 145 British pounds ($225 USD) per person for a round-trip, direct flight to Malta's Luqa airport, it was obvious that this trip was meant to be. With no hesitation, we relinquished our credit card numbers and parted with our hard-earned farthings. We were off to Malta for a three day weekend!

Source

After a sweaty, mad dash to meet Liebling at Heathrow (I am nearly always late!), the three hour flight to Malta passed without incident. We arrived to the island late on Friday night and were whisked via private car to our accomodation. Now, before I continue, I have a confession to make. A while back I was contacted by Hostelbookers, who said they would be happy to host me at one of their properties should I find myself in close promixity. I was delighted to see that they had properties in Malta. And thus it came to be that Liebling and I were invited to stay at the lovely Argento Hotel.

I'll admit that I was a tad concerned about potentially being a talking head for a brand. I know that you take my recommendations to heart and I'm not in the business of misleading people. As a result, this sponsored stay filled me with trepidation. What if the hotel was beneath my (highly critical) standards? While I wouldn't dream of slagging the place (I do have tact!), my sharp tongue and moral fortitude beg me to speak the truth. Thankfully, my moral compass was not tested. The Argento has recently been renovated and is absolutely splendid. Hostelbookers hooked me up. In addition to the monstrous bed and stylish decor, I was particularly geeked by the spotless bathroom facilities. I mean, if you *ahem* have to spend a long time in the bathroom, you want to make sure it's a nice one. Just sayin'.

Spoiled, I slid between the cool sheets and let Liebling's snores lull me to sleep (just kidding!). The next morning, I awoke to the most soul-stirring view from my hotel room window. London, this place ain't.

One hearty hotel breakfast later, we were out on the bustling streets of St. Julian's, the area of Malta we were staying in. St. Julian's is home to a flurry of activity, rammed with hotels, restaurants, and lots of nightlife. It is also home to the dazzling Spinola Bay, which was just steps from our accomodation. I spent a full 10 minutes trying to capture the beauty surrounding me.

An impromptu walking tour took us along the promenade, past large bodies of cerulean water, and through narrow streets book-ended by abodes with beautiful balconies. I shook off the dreary London doldrums that had been weighing down my spirit and smiled as the intense sunlight seeped into my skin. Yup, Malta is that amazing.

I have NEVER seen such pretty buildings.

We seemingly erred through the streets, but we had a destination. We were walking from St. Julian's to Sliema, where we purchased tickets for a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of the island. Weaving through the streets for 45 minutes, we arrived at Sliema, a little dewy from the heat, but warm and happy. There we were to board our sightseeing bus, which would take us on a tour of the northern part of the island.

I again marvelled at how the good weather and spectacular sights had served to brighten my mood. Taking one last look at the panorama before me, I boarded the sightseeing bus and took a seat beside Liebling. I couldn't wait to see more!

Do you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder like I do? Does the weather affect your mood? I'd love to hear from you!

As I mentioned above, HostelBookers graciously arranged my stay at the Argento Hotel in St. Julian's, Malta. The opinions, as always, are my own, but let's face it- photos don't lie- this hotel was amazing. This hotel is also relatively inexpensive with rooms starting at just $25 USD per person, per night. You can book the property through HostelBookers here!

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Spotted in London: Someone's Hungry!

2011-12-15T01:09:00.001Z

Spotted in London is a new series where I post about the strange, quirky, and sometimes funny things that I encounter as I make my way around London. Enjoy!

Something ain't right here. I spotted the above in my local Tesco supermarket here in London. Can you tell me what's wrong?

Somebody took a bite out of the bagel and left it in the store.

The bagel cost 42 pence.

I've seen some pretty crazy things during my short time in London, but this one here had me scratching my head in puzzlement and incredulity. Somebody took a bite out a bagel whilst in the supermarket and left it to languish alongside its uneaten brethren. This somebody must have been really hungry. And pretty hard up for cash...?

I am flabbergasted, astonished, and speechless.

Who do you think is the culprit? Have you ever encountered something this ridiculous?

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Malta Sneak Peek

2011-12-11T08:23:00.001Z

Umm, so yeah. Malta ROCKS.

I must have taken about 300 photos yesterday, and I was exercising extreme restraint. Ready for day 2!

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Date Night at the Tate Modern Museum

2011-12-10T01:22:00.001Z

Last Saturday night, Liebling and I went to the Tate Modern Museum.

I'll give it to you straight: I'm no fan of museums, and I, in fact, avoid them like the plague. However, Liebling had heard that Gerhard Richter, one of his favourite German artists, was having an exhibit at the Tate and wanted to go, so after some mild arm-twisting, I was convinced to accompany him. I secretly dreaded going but put on a brave face, hoping to at least soak up some culture through osmosis (and take a few pretty pictures of the artwork). As the museum is not very far from our apartment, we embarked on the 20-minute journey on foot, our cheeks stinging from the very crisp late-autumn air. The Tate Modern is a popular and widely respected museum. It is also free(!) to enter and open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, making it the perfect (read: cheap) date night. Despite my initial reservations, I really enjoyed myself, and we spent hours perusing the exhibits, dispensing opinions on the artwork, and mitigating our reactions, which ranged from the deeply touched, to the indifferent, to the incredulous. Ever the documentarian, I took a number of photographs to chronicle our night at the museum.

The walk from our flat to the Tate Modern

What you see when you first walk in- this area has rotating exhibits that change monthly

I found this piece particularly disturbing

This painting somehow reminded me of my trip to Moon Valley when I visited the Atacama Desert in Chile in October

This piece of work, by controversial Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is not what it appears- these are not true sunflower seeds, but dupes made from porcelain and hand painted- what a lot of work!

Picasso surrealism

Interesting representation of Hitler

A Gerhard Richter work

View of St. Paul's Cathedral from the terrace in the Tate

Can you believe this mirror is a piece of artwork?? Ridiculous or Genius?

More interesting artwork

One of my favourites

LOVED the message of this one- wholeheartedly agree


Best part of the evening- rewarded myself with a pizza!

Are you a museum fan? Which is your favourite piece of artwork from the pictures above?

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Stepping out in London: Da Mario restaurant

2011-12-08T17:12:00.001Z

Liebling and I are great fans of Italian food, and thus have been trying to find restaurants in London where we can get a good, home-cooked Italian meal. Our search took us to Da Mario restaurant a few weekends ago.

We found Da Mario by fluke, after spending the afternoon walking around Notting Hill's Portobello Market. Hungry, we walked down to Kensington, past the palace that will house Prince William and Princess Kate in a few months' time, and found ourselves on Gloucester Road, which is rife with restaurants.

Faced with an abundance of choices, we were stumped. Where to eat? It was the smell of pizza wafting out from Da Mario's that drew me to its half open door. Liebling and I went inside.

Da Mario is a cozy restaurant that serves Neopolitan fare. Cozy in atmosphere, that is. While the upstairs is snugly fitted with about 10 or so small tables, I discovered that the basement of the restaurant has a spacious seating area, perfect for large groups.

Once seated, we had the task of deciding what to eat. Faced with too much choice, we lazily picked two pasta dishes. However, let it be known that Da Mario is famous for its pizzas. The array of pizza pies was tempting, but as I was craving a good pasta, I literally went with my gut and hoped for the best. I ordered the pappardelle branzino, a broad pasta accompanied by grilled fish, and Liebling ordered the sapore di mare, a seafood spaghetti dish. We also ordered bruschetta to start.

When the bruschetta arrived, I nearly fell out of my chair. There were two tiny pieces bread adorned with sweet peppers, goat's cheese, and mixed leaves - as an order clocks in at 6.50 GBP, I would have expected at least four pieces. Still, I have to admit that the bruschetta was tasty, which surprised me as I typically despise goat's cheese.

After a long wait, our main dishes came. Again, I was mildly appalled at what I considered to be a small serving. Again, my complaints were abated when I tasted the food. The portions may be small, but they are delicious. My pasta was perfectly al dente, and the fish was well grilled, yet still tender. Liebling, often not easily impressed when it comes to food, loved his seafood pasta dish, though he also agreed that he would have liked a larger portion.

Still a bit hungry, but not wanting dessert, Liebling and I asked for the cheque.

Da Mario is a tad more expensive than some of the places we usually eat at, but is in line with the cost of restaurants in and around London's West End. The food is fresh and very good, and while we waited a long time for the food to come, it was delicious. I would definitely go back again.

What is most important to you when you dine: quality or quantity?

DA MARIO, 15 Gloucester Road

London SW7 4PP

www.damario.co.uk
Tel: 020 7584 9078

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Singapore (Part 1)

2011-12-07T14:11:00.001Z

Note: I mentioned in my last post that I had some catching up to do in terms of posting about previous trips. Liebling and I went to Singapore back in May, and I'm just getting around to posting it now... Oops! Enjoy!

Singapore didn't blow me away, but I had a good time anyway. I mean, with tropical weather year-round, good times with good friends, and a skyline like this, how could I NOT enjoy myself??

Nevertheless, Singapore is not the type of place that rates high on many people's "Must Visit" list. It certainly wasn't a priority for me to go there; while fellow travellers went on and on about the exoticism and excitement of places like Thailand and Cambodia and Laos, those same people had nearly nothing to say about Singapore. "It's very clean and expensive," they would repeat over and over. "And it's very safe and great for families," they would continue. Still, hardcore travellers who had eaten dog in Vietnam, trekked in Nepal, and survived China only curled their lip when I asked them if they had ever been to Singapore. "Yes," they would sneer, "I have been, but it's not the real Asia. Go see the other stuff first". Then, cocking their head to the side, they would offer, "Go there if you must, but don't stay long. You can do Singapore over a weekend".

Armed with this information, I diligently followed their advice and saw all the other stuff first. I trekked in Nepal. I ate chicken in Vietnam (sorry, couldn't do the dog. I just couldn't). I (barely) survived China. And then I thought about going to Singapore. Finding a plane fare online that had a price too good to refuse, me, Liebling, and six other friends bought tickets.

We arrived in Singapore late on a Friday evening of what was to be a long weekend. We had a day off on Monday, thanks to Buddha and his birthday. Our group, tired from the 3.5 hour flight from Hong Kong (and a busy work week) split off into two cabs at the Singapore airport and took the 30-minute ride to our hotel, the Carlton, where we promptly went to sleep.

The next morning we rounded up the troops and headed out to breakfast at a restaurant called Food for Thought.

Aren't we just adorable?

The boys took silly pictures outside the restaurant (somebody must have put something funky in their eggs), and the girls followed suit with some crazy pics of our own. Then we moved on, doing our own self-directed walking tour of Singapore. We stopped to take pictures in front of the National Art Museum ( I didn't go in as I don't like museums, remember?) and along Orchard Street, which is the major shopping street in the city.

We hit the row of malls and did a bit of "window"-shopping, which of course resulted in me buying a dress and Liebling picking up a pair of sandals. I loved the shopping atmosphere in Singapore: the malls were large, stylishly decorated, and air-conditioned. Even better, I was reunited with a lot of my favourite stores from back home that unfortunately don't exist in Hong Kong.

Singapore is a very developed country and is super clean. Apparently, this cleanliness is due in part to the fact that there are no wads of sticky, melted gum on the sidewalk. Did you know that chewing gum is banned in Singapore? They don't sell it anywhere, and, though rarely enforced, it is against the law to chew it while in the city. My shoe soles very much appreciated this phenomenon.

The main streets were thick with pedestrians and the din of what amounted to a typical Saturday afternoon on Singaporean streets. Walking a bit further away from the main throughfare, we found a peaceful court of brightly coloured houses with ornate facades. Of course, as always, I had to snap a photo.

Continuing further, Liebling and I ditched our companions, who were determined to go shopping again (I should mention that the malls in Singaporean are generally cheaper than the ones in Hong Kong, hence the shopping urgency!), and instead went off in hot pursuit of Singapore's Little India. With no map to speak of, we erred in the streets, passing this lovely wide avenue and even lovelier park (where I begged Liebling to strike a model-esque pose for the shot below). Isn't Singapore just amazingly green and gorgeous? The tree-lined streets reminded me of Canada.

Throats parched, we passed this 7-Eleven, but it was closed. I was a bit bummed, until I saw this sign:

All you need is a little love from your local 7-Eleven to make you feel okay about having to stay thirsty...

Moving on, we found Little India's Hindu temple, which is a sight to behold. Take a look at those colours!

Unable to resist, we crept inside, acutely aware that we were the only tourists checking the place out at that particular moment. The temple was busy with activity as there seemed to be some sort of service taking place. Liebling and I observed and I discreetly snapped a couple of pictures.

After our temple adventure, we took to walking along the boardwalk. Singapore has a beautiful harbourfront, which is bordered by Clark's Quay, a very nice area with many restaurants and night clubs.

Looking at these pictures once more, I really can't believe how clean Singapore is. Singaporeans can take real pride in how well kept and attractive their city is. After travelling the bustling, and often polluted, major metropolises (metropoli?) in Asia, I truly felt as if Singapore was in a league of its own.

I couldn't resist taking a photo in front of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which is reportedly the most expensive hotel in Singapore, and has a world-class casino. Apart from it being extremely exclusive and "chi-chi", the architectural design of the structure is really impressive! And of course, I am very vain and love having my photo taken in front of monuments. HA!

Hot and tired after our adventure, Liebling and I went back to the hotel to meet up with our friends, and prepare for an evening out in Singapore, which I'll detail in my next post!

What do you think of Singapore so far? Does it look like someplace you'd like to go, even if it's not an "exciting" destination? What qualities do you look for when deciding on a place to travel to?

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Off to Malta on Friday (and other travel updates)

2011-12-05T09:35:00.001Z

Source

We are off to Malta on Friday!

Never heard of this destination?
It's a tiny European island south of Sicily and east of the North African nation of Tunisia. Liebling and I are going for a long weekend, leaving Friday night and returning Monday evening.

Why Malta?
Why not? You know that we can't stay put in one place for long, and that despite a recent trip to Berlin, we were itching to go somewhere new. Result: we booked a whole bunch of tickets to some destinations, including Malta, that we are really excited about.

So where are we going in the coming months?
So far, we've booked trips to Berlin, Brussels, Belgium, Paris, Nice/Monaco, and Norway. We have a couple of other trips in the works, but they haven't been confirmed yet.

Were the tickets expensive? How did you find them?

Nope, not really! We save a lot of money by booking WAYYYY in advance (we're not going to Norway until June!) and being flexible with our travel dates. We have been internet fiends, scoping out a variety of booking sites in the quest to get the cheapest tickets. Which sites can we recommend? If you are interested in Europe travel, we've found the Swoodoo (a German booking website) can't be beat. We are going to Brussels and Paris on the Eurostar train, and I was able to snag a 69 GBP return ticket to Brussels simply by not travelling during peak times. Eurostar also frequently has promotions were you can save 10% on regular priced tickets- you just have to look on their website!

Anyway, I can't wait to share my photos and anecdotes with you. Have any of you been to the destinations above? I would love some restaurant or itinerary recommendations if you have them!

*I also realize that I am behind on some of my travel updatage. I never finished writing about my trips to Guatemala, Chile, and New York City, and haven't even touched on trips I did months ago to Singapore and Malaysia. I also have a few posts about Liebling's visit to Canada. So stay tuned!

Do you have any travel coming up at the end of this year or in 2012? Where are you going? Where do you want to go? And how do you book your tickets? Any tips for travellers?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Christmas Market in Hyde Park, London

2011-12-02T14:14:00.001Z

London has had Christmas decorations since Halloween, but it wasn't until Liebling and I went to the Christmas market being held in London's Hyde Park that I truly felt as though I was in the holiday spirit.

Last year I had a taste of Germany's Christmas markets when Liebling took me to the Charlottenburg Schloss market in Berlin, so I was excited to see how London's version would measure up.

Held from November 18th to January 3rd, the Hyde Park Christmas market, known officially as "Winter Wonderland", is easily accessible via public transportation. I met Liebling at Hyde Park Corner tube stop, and, after exiting we found ourselves entering the market on foot not even five minutes later.

Upon entering we were confronted by a thick wall of revellers, which was probably a good thing as the night air was brisk, nearly frigid. We soon forgot the cold and the crowds, though. We were too mesmerized by the bright displays and the tantalizing array of succulent treats. The best part of any Christmas market for me has got to be the food. From potato pancakes, to churros, to pizza, calorie-filled, feel-good food was in abundance.

But Liebling, the good German that he is, wasn't interested in the food just yet. He had one thing on his mind... gluhwein. Because to him, a Christmas market just isn't a Christmas market without a bit of hot wine to warm the soul.

His desire fulfilled, we began our hunt for food. But it wasn't long until we found exactly what we were looking for:

We ordered two white bratwurst, accompanied by a thick white bun and slathered by ketchup and mustard, and began to chow down.

We then strolled along the sprawling midway, taking in all the sights and sounds. Joy and merriment surrounded us; children laughed gaily and amorous couples smooched, held hands, and took goofy pictures. The neon lights of the rides illuminted the dark sky, and squeals of excitement and fear could be heard from the skating rink, where beginners and pros alike tried their hand at gliding on ice.

I was tempted to get on one of the rides, so enticing was the backdrop, but my very full stomach and rampant motion sickness prevented me from satisfying my desire. The roller coasters at Winter Wonderland reminded me very much of the ones I rode when I went to Stockholm last summer.

We instead took in more of our surroundings as we strolled, making a few quirky discoveries that included a bar built into a carousel and a market stall selling wooden ties.

After a couple of hours of walking through the market, it was time to head back home. But not before Liebling stopped in another biergarten to get one last gluhwein for the road. The massive beer garden was as trendy as it was cozy: it even had a DJ spinning tunes!

I highly recommend checking out the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland if you have the chance. I can officially say, after having visited the market, that I'm excited for Christmas. I love this time of year!

Are you a fan of Christmas markets? Ever been to one? What types of things get you into the holiday spirit?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

A day in Greenwich

2011-11-28T08:58:00.001Z

Last Saturday, Liebling and I went to Greenwich (pronounced GREN-ich).

So... I've been slacking on posting on this blog. Oops. But I have a good reason, I promise! I have been out and about in London... And, well, I got a job! But more on that later. I've got some catching up to do. So. *clears throat*. About Greenwich.

Having no immediate plans, and wanting to explore more of London, I begged Liebling to take me there when he asked me what I felt like doing last Saturday afternoon. The idea to go was actually planted in my head the weekend before when I had the pleasure of meeting Jen, another Canadian-turned-Londoner who chronicles her expat experiences on her blog, She Went Away. She mentioned that Greenwich was a cool little town with a cool little (ok, maybe big) observatory, and that it constituted a nice, touristy day trip within London.

Liebling and I left our apartment and strolled soutward for about 15 minutes before hopping on the Docklands Line Railway and jumping off at the Cutty Sark (where do they get these names?) stop. Once outside the train station, we dove head-long into the throngs of tourists, past the neat rows of stores with bright window displays, and headed straight to the market.

The market is a large affair, despite only spanning a small area. Densely packed, mostly with food stalls, which Liebling and I made a beeline for. There were many savoury treats from all over the world on offer: the only issue we had was deciding!

Liebling and I spotted this Caribbean food stand and I felt a pang of nostalgia. My family is from Jamaica, and I grew up surrounded by most of the food in the pictures below.

But then, we saw this place serving up Japanese cuisine. It was in fact my nose, and the smoke billowing up from the stand, that lead us there. I saw them fry up some teriyaki chicken for a waiting customer and knew that was where we were meant to eat. I love my chicken and I love fresh, hot food. It was a match made in heaven.

After a lovely lunch, we continued on to the observatory. Greenwich is also the home of the Greenwich Meridian, otherwise defined as 0° longtitude, and thus the official site at which Eastern and Western hemispheres are divided.

The observatory is located atop beautiful rolling green hills, at the edge of Greenwich Park. Liebling and I climbed the stairs and had a lovely view over part of the London skyline.

We entered the observatory for free and got to see a large telescope that is so powerful that you can see to the moon. Of course, as I was so enthralled by the strength of this machinery, I entirely forgot to take a picture. Darn.

But that's not what we came here to do. I, personally, wanted to see the exact point at which the Prime Meridian divides the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Through the gate, we saw a long line of people waiting to get their photo taken in front of the monument marking this point.

Unfortunately, however, I wouldn't be joining them. Why? Because the observatory charges 7 GBP ($12 USD) for visitors to go beyond the gate and snap a picture. Call me cheap, but I wasn't in the mood to pay that kind of money for such a thing, especially when the rest of the observatory was free to visit.

Instead, we opted to explore the rest of the non-paying sections of the site. We came upon this very interesting exhibit entitled "Time Stood Still For Me When", where observatory patrons are invited to write out their own life-changing events, ones where they literally felt as though time had stood still for them.

I spent some time perusing the descriptions, which ranged from the moving:

To the absolutely adorable:

To the funny.

We were nearly ready to be on our way when Liebling stopped me. He found another place where they had a marker indicating the Greenwich Meridian! Even though it wasn't as impressive as the one located in the paying section, it suited me just fine. I straddled the Meridian and asked him to take my picture. So here I am straddling the East and West hemispheres at the same time!

Satisfied, we continued to the National Maritime Museum, where we spent about an hour learning more about boats and Britain's role in sea exploration over the years. It was extremely interesting and, best of all, free!

We then headed home, but not before I paused to capture the gorgeous architecture that Greenwich seems to have in abundance.

Greenwich is well worth the trip! Try to make it out if you find yourself in London anytime soon.

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Chile Day 5 & 6: Exploring Santiago and Blogger Meetups!

2011-11-22T09:34:00.001Z

After an amazing three days in the desert, where I basically walked on the moon, toured a salt flat, and went up 15,000 feet above sea level to survey geysers, it was time for me to go back to Santiago.

The sky was blue and the air was crisp as I boarded the plane and prepared myself for the two hour journey back to Chile's capital city. I internally waved goodbye to the desert as I peered out the plane window.

While I already missed the desert, I was excited for what was in store for my remaining days in Chile. While I was planning to sink my teeth into some more Santiago sightseeing, what I was most amped about was my upcoming rendezvous with Kyle and Emily, two of my favourite bloggers so just happen to live in Santiago, and graciously accepted to meet me during my stay! I was due to meet up with Kyle for lunch that very afternoon!

But first, I had to schlep my stuff to my next place of residence. After a painless landing and luggage collection, I toted my pack onto the bus departing the airport and bound for downtown. Getting off at the Pajaritos stop, I boarded the Santiago's metro, and, after a quick consultation of my map, found myself at my hostel, the Hostal Luna Calypso.

Can I just gush a little about this place??? I talked in a previous post about how I think I'm getting too old to stay in hostels. I definitely am. But let's get real. Hostels are cheap, and sometimes necessary for those on a budget like myself. Plus, when you're travelling alone, staying in hostels is a great way to meet fellow travellers and avoid loneliness. My first night in Chile, I stayed in a fabulous hostel in Santiago. It was clean, spacious, and I even ended up having the whole 6-bed dorm to myself! Absolute bliss. My faith was renewed in budget accomodation.

But then I flew to the Atacama desert. I didn't write about my hostel experiences there (didn't want to flame any of the places I was staying), but it was a disaster. The first two nights, I stayed in a hostel whose bathroom was so disgusting I seriously considered not showering. My third night in the desert I stayed in another hostel that also had a yucky bathroom. I was not happy. I also started to come down with the flu, which I attributed to these gross living conditions,even though it was probably due to the flagrant temperature changes that occur in the Atacama (very cold in the evening and morning, but extremely hot in the afternoon).

Still, after that fiasco, I was DETERMINED to stay in a nice (inexpensive) place upon my return to Santiago. And that's where the Luna Calypso comes in.

A brand new hostel that is more like a B&B (I think the place only has like 5 rooms, 2 of which are private), the place is owned by the nicest Chilean lady named Karen. After my ordeal sharing dorms and bathrooms with nasty strangers, I opted for a private room. To be honest, when I booked the place online, I was highly skeptical because at slightly less than $20 USD a night, it seemed to good to be true. But this w(e)ary traveller was not disappointed. The room, while tiny, was SPOTLESS. The washroom, while kind of bizarre since the shower was not seperate from the toilet (they do that a lot in Asia, too!) was GLISTENING. All the fixtures were new, and the room smelled fresh. I was in heaven.

But I had no time to gape in wonderment at the awesomeness of my room. Because I had a date. With Ms. Kyle Hepp!

I don't remember exactly when I first started reading Kyle's blog. But it was yearssss ago, when she first moved to Chile and jotted down her musings of an American expat living in Santiago. I think her blog was called "Just Married Chilean Style"? I don't remember. Anyway, I lost touch of her blog until maybe about two years ago, when I discovered Kyle Hepp Photography and put two and two together, realizing that this was the same mamacita whose blog I read before. Re-christened a photographer, forming one half of a ridiculously talented photog team along with her husband Seba, Kyle jets around the world snapping weddings and lets us all in on the party via her blogs and stunning photos. Anyway, not only was it an honour finally meeting this dynamic woman in the flesh, she gets even more points from me because she took me out to lunch at one of her fave restaurants. You know I love good food and good convo. Kyle Hepp is an amazing woman.

Kyle took me to Peluqueria Francesa, which is this very cool French barbershop-turned-restaurant located in what appeared to be Santiago's antique/designer district. Besides the mouth-wateringly yummy dish above, I loved the place because of its very stylish decor and history. The restaurant even had a fully-operational barbershop attached to it.

Of course Kyle and I couldn't resist getting up into the mix and having our photo taken:

Nor could the barber, who managed to sneak his face into the shot, if you look closely.

Kyle and I parted ways, promising to meet the next day for a chicky powwow with Ms. Emily of Don't Call Me Gringa. My sixth day in Chile, I awoke to grey hazy skies. Not the best of weather, since I planned to go up to one of the highest points in Santiago, but c'est la vie! I left my hostel and got on the trusty Santiago metro. Destination: Cerro de San Cristobal.

I took the funicular car up, up, and up...

...and had a look onto the sprawling city limits of Santiago. Even in the smog it was impressive.

At the viewpoint, I met two Argentinian women, tourists, who took my photo, then offered me to join them for a coffee. Feeling slightly anti-social (slightly shocking considering my usual gregariousness), I declined their offer and went off to explore the rest of the site on my own. The flower beds scattered all over gave a much needed burst of colour to the drab grey atmosphere.

There is a zoo near the top of the Cerro San Cristobal, but feeling tired (and cheap), I decided to skip the attraction and use the extra time to walk back to my hostel instead.

I LOVE exploring on foot and discovered this street of brightly coloured houses on my way back to my temporary home.

Next up was my date! I met up with Kyle and Emily at Boudoir, a swanky restaurant that unfortunately didn't live up to its cachet and decor (read Emily's review here). But no matter! I was in the company of the coolest chicks in Santiago and we had a barrel of laughs. It was cool to finally meet Emily, who is the veritable "it" girl of Santiago, and whose blog is a font of information for what to see and do in the capital, as well as all over Chile! She is gorgeous, impeccably well-heeled (um, yes, I STILL am coveting the shoes you wore on that night, Emily), and funny. I'm so glad to have had the chance to meet her and am excited to see her again- she'll be making a stopover in London in the next few weeks! Having jet-setting blogger friends rocks.

Between chatting up the handsome Chilean-French waiter, trading expat stories, and just general girl talk, hilarity ensued. We had a few group photos taken of us that made us look like short, fat children, and which I will thusly refrain from posting. But it was a fab time nevertheless, and I managed to get the shot below, which I'm sure all parties will approve of.

After giving myself a headache from laughing so much, I walked back to my hostel and snuggled up in my quiet bedroom (oh, the joys of a private room!). Sighing with contentment, I went to bed. There were more adventures to be had tomorrow!

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Stepping out in London: Madison Restaurant Bar & Cafe

2011-11-19T08:37:00.001Z

I'm slowly but surely discovering London's bar and restaurant scene, so have decided to start a new series on the blog detailing some of the places I have had the pleasure of sampling. Last Friday, Liebling suggested we go to Madison, so he could get a drink and unwind after a long work week. I love seeing new places, so of course I said yes!

Located in the heart of the finance district, this new bar is popular with after-work set. When we went on Friday evening, it was stuffed to the gills with people dressed in suit and ties, celebrating the end of the work week. While I felt a tad undressed in my booties and opaque tights, people were too busy carousing to notice or care.

I don't drink alcohol, and we didn't eat, so I can't really comment on the quality of their offerings. But I DO have eyes. And Madison, located on the top floor of the One New Change shopping centre, has a view of St. Paul's Cathedral that is to die for. Liebling and I spent 15 minutes taking pictures of the view before entering the bar. More accurately, I spent 15 minutes taking pictures of the view, while Liebling cringed and waited for me to finish. But the view is gorgeous, no?

The inside decor was also stylish, with the dim light making the place feel intimate and exclusive even though there were a large amount of people inside. We had a lovely server who managed to find us seating swiftly despite the crowd, then helped me move my chair so that I could sit facing the huge window that gave a sweeping panorama of the London skyline.

We only ordered drinks (lame, I know), but they seemed to be moderately priced. I got a Sprite and Liebling got a beer and we paid 6.50 GBP altogether. I managed to sneak a peek at the menu and they have a full range of goodies to sate your appetite. While the plates seemed pricey, I am unsure of the portion size and taste, and thus cannot comment on the overall value/ bang for your buck.

What I can comment is that I really enjoyed the location and ambience of Madison, and hope to go back soon! If you're in London and wanting to check it out, please invite me so I can go again... Because I am a sucker for a great view.

Madison Restaurant & Bar

Rooftop, One New Change, St Paul's, London, EC4M 9AF

Telephone: 020 8305 3088

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Love at Oktoberfest: Me and Liebling's "how we met" story

2011-11-16T12:10:00.001Z

Note: The lovely Ashley from "She's Come Undone" left a comment on my last post asking me how Liebling and I met. Since I know that I have some people who are new to the blog, and since L and I recently celebrated two years of being together, I figured I would re-post the "how we met" story that I wrote last year for our one year anniversary. Enjoy!

Ours began like many great love stories do: he picked me up in a club.

Actually, no, not really. I had already met him the weekend before, at an Oktoberfest event held in Hong Kong. A friend told me she had an extra ticket so I obliged.

Did I mention it was also Halloween?

The venue was packed when I arrived, with equal amounts of people dressed in lederhosen and typical Halloween costumes.

The air stank of beer and body odor.

I don't drink alcohol so the scene was mildly interesting, at best. But then... the atmosphere was gay and the house band, flown in from Germany, played a devilishly rousing set of polka tunes that had me on my feet and shaking my groove thang amongst the mostly danced-challenged crowd.

I started to have some fun despite myself.

I was thinking of going home when I spotted them. Three guys dressed as old-school tennis players.

Tall and lean, their average height bordered on giant-dom. They had on unenviably bad wigs, shades, headbands, and embarrassingly too-small kid's P.E. uniforms doubling as tennis outfits. They were speaking loud, incoherent German. They were giving each other high fives. And practicing tennis swings with imaginary raquets. And also stretching in anticipation of an imaginary tennis match.

I was intrigued. I approached them.

Our meeting was a mess of slurred words (them) and misunderstood accents (me). The three Germans were flanked by two very nice girls, one dressed as a nurse, and the other, Pocahantas. The tennis prodigies were forgotten as Pocahantas and I got to talking and exchanged numbers with the intent of hanging out soon. A new friend.

Days later, Pocahantas and decided to meet up for a much needed night out. I met her at the door of a nightclub. She wafted in, all long legs and high heels and gorgeousness, and started introducing me to the long line of people behind her. No lie, she rolled with a posse 10-people deep. In the midst of the getting-to-know-yous, a glimmer of recognition:

wasn't that one of the tennis dudes from the other night?

When I asked if we already knew each other, he cast his eyes downward in a way that showed me he was mildly embarrassed at me being privy to his Halloween shenanigans. Crazy. I laughed and he bought me a drink. We danced and I furnished my number when asked.

Because why not make a new (cute) acquaintance in Hong Kong? Why not?

The rest, as they say, is history. A little over ~~a year~~ two years later, we laugh at how life is just so funny. In each other we've discovered an intense zest for life, and an insatiable love of travel. What luck.

So, Liebling, herzlichen glückwunsch...

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Weekend in Berlin

2011-11-14T16:44:00.001Z

Yum.

I spent the past weekend in Berlin, being embarrassed at my incompetence in German, spending time with Liebling's fam and friends, eating very tasty food, and cursing the cold weather.

Me doing what I do best: posing indulgently for a photo in Berlin.

It was a quick trip with us landing in Berlin at 10:30pm on Friday and back on the plane by 2:30pm on Sunday. Liebling had to go home to deal with some administrative stuff and I decided to tag along, hence the quick trip. I've been to Berlin a number of times already, so didn't do any sightseeing. I DID however, attend a Bavarian-themed party that was thrown by one of Liebling's besties.

There was tasty fatty German food.

There were people in lederhosen and dirndls.

There were people in lederhosen and dirndls playing instruments reminiscent of a Ricola commercial.

And of course, people in lederhosen and dirndls participating in a tree-sawing competition.

Because that's just how these crazy Germans get down.

So I ate, praticed my German, and clapped my hands in glee at the entertainment.
And Liebling and his friends had a great time ~~messing up my pictures.~~

All in all it was a great weekend. How was yours?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Move to Central London!

2011-11-10T12:56:00.001Z

Please... Excuse the mess. Liebling and I moved into our new flat just two days ago and, while we are enjoying our central location, setting up the flat has been a bit of a pain.

I hate moving. I despise packing. Unpacking is 10 times worse.

Those who have been reading for a while may remember the comedy of errors when I last moved apartments in Hong Kong. No bueno, but at least it provided a good blog post. Sigh.

I am a free spirit (read: organizational disaster) by nature. Compartmentalizing my things and packing them neatly away has never been my forte. Reopening the compartments and packing my things away in a new space is even more tedious.

Moving is a chore that I am not good at.

Regardless, little by little we are getting sorted. Despite a few "surprises" in the form of items that were either broken or missing in the flat, when we were assured that everything was present and in tip-top shape, we are generally happy with what we signed up for. The flat is not huge, but seems palatial by my Hong Kong standards, where I paid a loooot of money for verrrrry little space.

Moving into a new place makes you realize just how much stuff you need.

I never thought about the importance of a toothbrush holder (because who wants to put their toothbrush down on the germy counter???) and that mat you lay down alongside the bathtub so you don't get the floor all wet when you step out of the shower.

Moving into a new place also reminds me how much of a germaphobe I am.

I took to the kitchen and bathroom counters with industrial bleach, refusing to put any of my belongings on them before the caustic agent worked its germ blasting wonders. Ditto for inside the cupboards, sinks, doorknobs, and handles.

If the photos above are any indication, there is a lot to be done before this apartment becomes a home.

We spent yesterday evening at two home furnishing stores getting supplies to haul back to the apartment, after having ordered them online the night before. I am quite frankly exhausted and Liebling and I have been working each other's nerves as we hotly debate frivolous things like what colour throw to get for the couch (I said magenta, he said white- he won) and what colour shower curtain to get for the bathroom (he said robin's egg blue, I said white- I won).

If nothing else, we have a nice (albeit hazy, at least today) view of the London Gherkin from our living room and bedroom.

And now, we actually live together, after a long-distance love affair that spanned two continents and 1.5 years of expensive plane tickets for short visits, fear and intense longing, lots of daydreaming about the future, and tortuous Skype calls.

All is well in the world.

Do you like packing? What are some of the things you look for when apartment hunting? Are you a germaphobe like me?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

A trip to Harrods in London

2011-11-07T12:22:00.000Z

Something about autumn weather here in London arouses in me the unmistakable urge to go (window) shopping. Last week I spent part of an afternoon in Harrods and feasted my eyes on all the pretty little things my modest chequebook cannot afford.

I tend to stay away from department stores, finding them stuffy and boring. However, as Harrods is world renowned, I decided to take a look. I wasn't disappointed. Harrods provided a full sensory experience.

We started on the main floor where Liebling attempted to give me a brief tour since he had been here before. His memory being a bit hazy, we promptly found ourselves a bit lost. No matter. While Liebling tried to get his bearings, we spent a few moments in this hallway where we came upon an Egyptian statue standing guard at an escalator. Only at Harrods...

We negotiated a maze of hallways and I noted that the holiday cheer was in full effect. We arrived on the section of the building devoted to men's apparel and I felt my spirits lift as I happened upon this Christmas tree.

Make no mistake about it, Christmas has already descended on London, and many of the stores and streets in the centre are already fully decked out in holiday regalia. While some protest that it is too soon for Xmas decorations, they make me really happy. For this reason I felt as though I was in my element when we stumbled upon the housewares department,which was a veritable winter wonderland of tinsel, glitter, and fake icicles.

A crowd gathered around this tree taking pictures and I couldn't resist bugging Liebling to take one of me in front of it. Thankfully, he begrudgingly obliged.

We left the crowded area and stumbled through some more very opulently decorated hallways until we found ourselves in the ladies' apparel section. I salivated over some high heels that my fallen arches would never allow me to purchase.

Next, we were off to the food court, which Liebling expressed was quite a sight to see. Lost again, we ended up doubling back through the housewares section and took the time to peruse some of the offerings.

We briefly flirted with the idea of getting the table and panther statue for our new flat, but decided that they were just a little out of our price range. Darn.

The food court was busy with patrons and fragant with the smells of a wide range of delectable treats for sale. With food counters where one could get pastries, pastas, seafoods, and even steak, this food market offered a safe, if packed, haven where one could restock and replenish their energy after an exhausting day of shopping.

While the offerings were tempting, eating was not on the agenda. We quickly left the market, a bit longing but resolving to come back to try something soon. After all, the food in Harrods is one of the few things that we can afford!

Do you enjoy, stomach, or totally dread going shopping during the holiday season? And do you ever shop at luxury stores?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Primark clothing store = My new obsession

2011-11-04T07:32:00.000Z

I recently discovered Primark. Oh happy day.

For those who don't know Primark, it is a cheapie clothing store, what I consider to be the less expensive, country cousin to my first love, H&M. While I'm typically a one-store kinda girl, faithful to my beloved Hennes and Mauritz to a fault (I wrote about my unrequited love here), I've been thinking of cheating. Here's why:

Primark is DIRT cheap.
I initially got lured into Primark after (window) shopping in H&M, Topshop, and Mango, and being disillusioned by the ridiculous prices. 40 quid for a lycra skirt? Heck no. I'm ~~unemployed~~ on a budget. I can't afford to roll like that. After hearing friends yammer on about the place, I reluctantly went in last
week. Those pantyhose that H&M was selling for 7.50 GBP? I got them in Primark for 2. Then proceeded to buy three more pairs for good measure.

If you don't like crowds, DO NOT go to Primark on a Saturday at busy Oxford Street.

Primark is trendy.
Primark is cheap and yet still manages to keep up with the current trends. The clothes were cute. The prices made the cuter. The quality isn't the best, but if you're not too sure about those harem pants that are all the rage, you can pick up a cheapie pair in Primark and not feel too bad about jettisoning them in the trash once you realize how unflattering they are. A few people have told me that Primark is even known as Primarni (a hybrid of the names Primark and Armani) here in the UK, though I am unsure as to whether or not that reference is sarcastic.

SERIOUSLY.

Primark is EVERYWHERE.
In the last four days, I have been in three Primarks in three different locations. I haven't been looking for them; they are just there. This is perhaps the best marketing strategy ever. If you build it, they will come, or at least stumble upon it in their travels. Primark is becoming the black hole that sucks me in when I happen to cross its path. Who am I to refuse its allure?

Have you ever been to Primark?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Discovering London thanks to a few of my favourite bloggers

2011-11-01T08:17:00.000Z

At Trafalgar Square last week. Picture taken by the rocking Melissa from "Wanderlust- Witness to Britness"!

One would think that I would be spending my days of leisure languishing at home while Liebling is at work. Not so. Thanks to the amazing travel blogging community here in London, I have been filling my days with meetups and sightseeing.

The upside to blogging, as I've said before, is all of the people you have the possibility to connect with. In the last couple of years, I've really started to reach out to some of my favourite bloggers when I pass through their town or vice versa. The list of bloggers I've had the pleasure of meeting in the flesh is enviable: this past summer alone, I had the pleasure of meeting Tanya from Tanya in Transition while we were both in Toronto, as well as Stacy from Bisous from Paris and Terri from Try Anything Once while I was kicking around N.Y.C. Late September found me in Chile, where I connected and became instant besties with Kyle from Kyle Hepp Photography and Emily from Don't Call Me Gringa. My first ever blogger meetup came to pass two years ago now, when the ubiquitous Ernest from the Fly Brother blog (who incidentally celebrated his birthday yesterday!) touched down in Hong Kong as part of his three month round-the-world jaunt, which I wrote about here.

With Emily from "Don't Call Me Gringa" and Kyle from "Kyle Hepp Photography" when I was in Chile last month

I am happy that I have been undeterred by the chanciness of meeting folks in real life that I have only come to know online; I have met only good people and have yet to encounter any axe-murderers or unsavoury characters.

I thusly cast the net wide upon my arrival in London and was sure to contact my favourite London travel bloggers, hoping to ~~coerce~~ convince them to meet with me. Luckily, the response has been positive and I have been making new bloggy friends right here in the UK. This has been fabulous as I have not only gotten the chance to meet my fave online personalities in person, but I am also getting the chance to get to know my way around London better.

I already wrote about me and Liebling's double date with London-by-way-of Paris blogger Fned and hubby at Mexican restaurant Chilango the other night. I also reunited with Cherish, whom I had the opportunity to meet last summer during my London stay. Last week she took me around St. Catherine's Dock and we navigated the throngs of tourists on the London Bridge.

Cherish and I when we met in London last year

I've met with the amazingly fun Melissa from Wanderlust- Witness to Britness a couple of times now. Last week, Melissa took me on a tour of Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, and graciously accepted to take my picture 60 gazillion times.


See how many pictures she was willing to take of me???

She also remained patient as I tirelessly window-shopped. I can tell that her and I will be great friends already.

Last week, I also had the good luck to rendez-vous with a certain Lady in London, who is quite the travel writing powerhouse, what with her impressive travel resume and busy travel schedule. I will also be forever indebted to her as she took me out for a steak dinner. I'm not joking; she was reviewing a restaurant here in London and invited me to tag along, so this here chickadee got to indulge in a steak dinner on the house. Perks, anyone?

Meeting with travel bloggers is affirming, in a way. Apart from discussions about blog stats, SEO, just how much to share and how often to share it, there is also a mutual understanding about the burning need to take photos of the monuments and places you visit in the hopes of documenting it in your blog. For example, there was no embarrassment when I whipped out my camera in the middle of the restaurant to snap a photo of my steak dinner- Miss Lady in London had already unsheathed her DSLR so she could take a photo of hers! Bloggers rock.

I must admit that I have been adding all the places that I've gone to with my newfound friends here to my burgeoning London repetoire. After all, who needs Time Out and Lonely Planet when you get pertinent info of where to go, what to do, and what to see straight from the travel blogger's mouth?

Have you met any bloggers or people you've met online in real life? If you haven't would you?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

American Exoticism in London

2011-10-27T22:26:00.004+01:00

I was asked "Are you from America?" four different times last week in London. This is funny for a few reasons.

The first is the most obvious- I am from Canadia, after all. Perhaps luckily, I am not one of those Canadians who gets miffed when mistaken for an American. I mean, let's face it: my regional accent is mostly indistinguable from the variety of English spoken in American films and television. Apart from the fact that I tack "eh" at the end of all some of my sentences and frequently sometimes do the whole "oot" and "aboot" thing, no one would be the wiser as to my Canadian origins. Besides, most Americans think I am from California anyway.

Last Saturday night in Central London

But as usual I digress. The second reason: who knew that I'd be so exotic here? In multicultural, cosmopolitan London, where I hear more unidentifiable foreign languages on the Underground than I can even begin to count, it is my flat "American broadcaster" English that garners attention. It brings smiles to people's faces, and further probing as to from whence this traveller came. My response of "umm, no, actually, I'm Canadian" has elicited emotions ranging from mild embarassment to robust laughter.

Even though many American travellers would protest that the anti-American sentiment is still strong in Europe, my limited experiences in London would counter that. Just today, my accent softened the man in the shop who sold me an umbrella. His gruff demeanor with the other customers seemingly melted away when he heard me speak. "That'll be 7 pounds, lovey", he offered after I innocently asked how much it cost. He used another term of endearment when I left the shop and I swear he even winked at me. The reaction has been the same in the many places I've been since touching down in the UK almost two weeks ago. People first seem startled to have a North American among them, then engage in conversation until the inevitable, "Are you from America?" question.

As I said, I really don't mind. Call me vain, but I love the attention, and it's probably one of the reasons I've lived abroad for as long as I have. I love being a foreigner in a foreign land. It's just quite unexpected really, as I never would have thought that I would be exotic here. But it's all good. This American Canadian in London ain't complainin'.

Have you ever used your foreign accent/nationality to your advantage while abroad?

Psst! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook if you haven't already! Your support is much appreciated!

Oneika the Traveller

Berlin Eats: Kebabs at Balli Doner

Chinatown in London

Brussels Part 1

Paris: Eiffel Tower Shenanigans

How I Afford to Travel

In Paris for the weekend!

A new look for 2012

Back to Work!

New Year's Eve in Berlin... And around the world!

Berlin sightseeing by night: Photo Essay

Berlin: Cake in KaDeWe department store

Tauentzienstraße 21-24

Tauentzienstraße 21-24

Brussels sneak peek

Malta: Part 2

Berlin Eats: Currywurst

Tacheles Art House

My 2011 Travel Review

Lovely Berlin Weather

German Christmas Foods: Photo Essay

The ABCs of Travel from Oneika the Traveller

The ABCs of Travel from Oneika the Traveller!

Merry Xmas from Berlin!

Stepping out in London: Bagels in Brick Lane

Malta: Part 1

Spotted in London: Someone's Hungry!

Malta Sneak Peek

Date Night at the Tate Modern Museum

Stepping out in London: Da Mario restaurant

Singapore (Part 1)

Off to Malta on Friday (and other travel updates)

Christmas Market in Hyde Park, London

A day in Greenwich

Chile Day 5 & 6: Exploring Santiago and Blogger Meetups!

Stepping out in London: Madison Restaurant Bar & Cafe

Love at Oktoberfest: Me and Liebling's "how we met" story

Weekend in Berlin

Move to Central London!

A trip to Harrods in London

Primark clothing store = My new obsession

Discovering London thanks to a few of my favourite bloggers

American Exoticism in London

I was asked "Are you from America?" four different times last week in London. This is funny for a few reasons.

Tauentzienstraße
21-24

Tauentzienstraße
21-24